News from Tuhua.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 141, 14 May 1884, Page 2

News from Tuhua.

The King Country Prosnector3.

(united press association.) Auckland, May 12. Messrs McDonald and Barry give the following particulars of their gold prospecting expedition prior to being captured' by the natives: — They started from Wanganui on the 24th. March, and, travelling northward by Field's track, m eight days they struck into the bush near i-.he Tuhua country. Great pain* were taken by them to avoid coming m contact with the natives, and, daring the greater portion of their journeying-, the parly avoided all native tracks, constructing puths for tkem.su] yes along the ridges of the mountains. Mr McDonald speaks very bitterly of Captain McDonnell, the leader ofihe prospecting party which was organised I y the citizens of Wanganui. Prior to their capture by the natives, the party met ! Captain McDonnell, and when they were captured the natives did not offer any violence, but merely contented themselves with searching the prospectors' swags. McDonald had | m his possession a small phial containing some reef gold, and this he handed over to Captain McDonnell, who has considerable influence with the Wanganui natives. For greater security, according to McDonald's statement, he handed this phial to their captors. McDonald, of course, declines t.o state where this gold came froiii. He however, does nob deny the existence of gold m this stream. The Punaapunga is a tributary of the Wanganui, and it is said to have been prospected by the ill-fated Moffat. The hardships endured by the two ipen appear to have been very great. For two months they lived on damper and tea, and were precluded from shooting game for fear the reports of their guns might be heard by the tiativevS. On some occasions they had to travel 40 miles a day with their provisions on their backs. Once they were very nearly discovered by a party of natives returning from the Korimiki meeting. They saw the natives coming along a track, and were compelled to run m the bush for security.